Sony Xperia X is the new Z flagship

News

Sony has unveiled the Xperia X, its latest flagship smartphone, on the opening morning of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The new phone is the first in Sony’s Xperia X line, and replaces the Z5 as the Japanese company’s top handset. So let’s see what new tech that new name brings.

New camera

Sony’s phones have always been known for their great cameras, so of course the new Xperia X has some new features to help you get even better photos.

First up, the way the camera focuses has changed. It now uses a mix of ultra-fast autofocus and subject tracking to predict where a moving object will be. That means it starts focusing before your subject is in position.

To speed up shooting even more, Sony’s added Fast Launch to the Xperia X. Holding the dedicated camera button will launch the camera, focus and take a snap in an instant.

And round the front of the Xperia X there’s Sony’s most powerful selfie camera ever – a 13MP unit designed for low light photography. The sensor is big and the camera can go to huge ISO numbers, which means it’s more sensitive to light than normal camera phones. If you like taking selfies on a night out, this could be the phone for you.

New way of charging

Knowing that battery life is one of the biggest gripes for everyone with a smartphone, Sony has added new tech to the Xperia X to help keep your battery in top shape.

The Sony Xperia X uses Qnovo Adaptive Charging to refuel your phone smartly. The technology works out exactly how quickly it can charge your phone without causing the battery to deteriorate with time. So when the phone’s flat, it pumps in power really quickly and then slows down when it’s almost full.

Sony says this will keep the battery working like new, even after 800 charge cycles. Given the Xperia X should last two days between charges, the battery should be as good as new after a two year contract.

New software

The Sony Xperia X runs on the latest version of Android, Marshmallow. But it’s not just the great new features from Google’s operating system that makes the X a bit different, Sony has made over 200 changes to its UI to make things easier to use.

Apps are now easier to find, the phone feels more responsive thanks to new animations and settings are simpler. It’s a major update that you’ll want to experience for yourself.

New design

Sony isn’t known for big design overhauls. When it launched the original Xperia Z, it found a smart design and stuck with it, making small refinements with each iteration of the phone. It’s a similar story with the Xperia X.

Looking at the square edges, metal frame and shimmering glass, the new phone is instantly recognisable as a premium Sony, but it’s more compact than before.

The screen is a 5-inch Full HD panel, fractionally smaller than last year’s Z5, which helps save space in your pocket.

If you like the look of the Sony Xperia X, you can register for updates on when it’ll be available. In the meantime, tell us what you think of it in the comments below.

Xperia XA

The Xperia XA features a 5-inch 720p display, with a 13MP rear camera and 5MP front-facing shooter. While the battery is 2,300mAh - slightly smaller than the Xperia X’s - but it uses the same Qnovo Adaptive Charging to keep it refuelled.

The smaller handset is also slightly less powerful than the Xperia X, but still has a decent 2GB of RAM powered by an octa-core processor.